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November 2018

Newsletter

A word from Richard

Hello everyone.

It’s Melbourne Cup time again… Racing… And pop goes the Champagne. If you’re a betting person or had work sweep stakes on I hope you had some luck.

I had the usual October bonfire on our property the other week and it could well have been the biggest pile of red hot coals yet. The stumps took a few days to fully burn down. It was a small gathering of friends with a pile of kids who all had a great time. Marshmallows and all. Nothing like sitting around a bonfire sipping a drink or two chatting with good friends.

My partner and I recently took an extra-long weekend and spent some wonderful times together at RAC Karri Valley Resort down at Pemberton. If you haven’t been there before then I can highly recommend it to couples and family stays as well. With so much to do including lake fishing, walking around the lake which passes over a lovely waterfall, canoeing, bike riding, mini golf, archery and not to mention the beautiful views from the lakeside restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We liked it so much we’ve booked to go back with more friends and kids.

Well not long until Christmas I know so book in early and do all the ordering so you’re not left short at the last minute.

Here’s hoping November is a great month for you all and remember; "You either use a water filter or your body is one."

Richard Scholes

Director

West Coast Water Filter Man

Fracking wastewater

Elevated concentrations of strontium, an element associated with oil and gas wastewaters, have accumulated in the shells of freshwater mussels downstream from fracking wastewater disposal sites, according to researchers from Penn State and Union College

"Freshwater mussels filter water and when they grow a hard shell, the shell material records some of the water quality with time," said Nathaniel Warner, assistant professor of environmental engineering at Penn State. "Like tree rings, you can count back the seasons and the years in their shell and get a good idea of the quality and chemical composition of the water during specific periods of time."

In 2011, it was discovered that despite treatment, water and sediment downstream from fracking wastewater disposal sites still contained fracking chemicals and had become radioactive. In turn, drinking water was contaminated and aquatic life, such as the freshwater mussel, was dying. In response, Pennsylvania requested that wastewater treatment plants not treat and release water from unconventional oil and gas drilling, such as the Marcellus shale.

As a result, the industry turned to recycling most of its wastewater. However, researchers are still uncovering the long-lasting effects, especially during the three-year boom between 2008 and 2011, when more than 2.9 billion liters of wastewater were released into Pennsylvania's waterways.

"Freshwater pollution is a major concern for both ecological and human health," said David Gillikin, professor of geology at Union College and co-author on the study. "Developing ways to retroactively document this pollution is important to shed light on what's happening in our streams."

The researchers began by collecting freshwater mussels from the Alleghany River, both 100 meters (328 feet) upstream and 1 to 2 kilometers (0.6 to 1.2 miles) downstream of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System-permitted wastewater disposal facility in Warren, Pennsylvania, as well as mussels from two other rivers -- the Juniata and Delaware -- that had no reported history of oil and gas discharge.

Community support

The Salvation Army's Christmas Appeal

The Bikers Charity Ride are " doing it for the kids" in the annual Perth Teddy bears' big day out; which raises funds for The Salvation Army's Christmas Appeal. Richard loves this yearly ride on his Harley laden with teddy bears. www.salivation.org.au

SIDS and Kids

Anglicare WA

Anglicare WA is a not for profit community services agency. They provide 57 services from 35 locations across the state. The West Coast Water Filter Man is proud to help and sponsor the Anglicare Knit in Day. www.anglicarewa.org.au